Best Medieval Names for Characters: 90+ Ideas

Best Medieval Names for Characters: 90+ Ideas

A curated collection of 90+ authentic medieval names spanning noble courts, knightly orders, common folk, Celtic lands, and Viking settlements.

The World of Medieval Names: History, Culture & Meaning

Medieval names are far more than historical curiosities—they are windows into a thousand years of European civilization. From the fall of Rome in the 5th century to the dawn of the Renaissance in the 15th, names reflected social hierarchy, cultural conquest, religious devotion, and regional identity. Understanding how to come up with character names rooted in this era brings depth and authenticity to fiction, role-playing games, and creative world-building.

Medieval Naming Conventions

Before the Norman Conquest of 1066, Anglo-Saxon England used compound Germanic names composed of two meaningful elements—for example, "Aethel" (noble) combined with "red" (counsel) to form Aethelred, meaning "noble counsel." The arrival of William the Conqueror transformed the English naming landscape almost overnight. Norman French names like William, Robert, and Richard rapidly displaced traditional Anglo-Saxon names among the upper classes, while names like Aldwin and Edith persisted among the common folk. By the 13th century, the influence of the Catholic Church added another layer, as saints' names like John, Thomas, and Margaret became increasingly dominant across all social classes.

Names and Social Class

In the medieval world, your name immediately signaled your place in the social order—a concept explored further in our guide to D&D naming conventions by race. The aristocracy adopted fashionable Continental names brought by the Normans and later by Crusaders returning from the Holy Land. Names like Eleanor, Isabelle, and Geoffrey carried the prestige of royal courts and noble lineages. Meanwhile, the peasantry clung to older Germanic and Anglo-Saxon names that had been passed down through generations—names like Godwin, Maud, and Aldwin that connected them to their pre-Conquest heritage. The emergence of surnames further reinforced social stratification, with nobles taking territorial names (de Montfort, Beauchamp) while commoners received occupational designations (Smith, Cooper, Fletcher).

Regional Naming Traditions

Medieval Europe was a tapestry of distinct cultures, each with its own naming traditions:

• Anglo-Saxon England: Compound names from Old English elements like "Aethel" (noble), "Ead" (prosperity), and "Wulf" (wolf). Names such as Aethelstan, Eadgyth, and Wulfric dominated before the Conquest and survived in rural communities for centuries afterward.
• Norman France: French-influenced names that blended Frankish Germanic roots with Romance language elements. Names like William (Guillaume), Robert, and Alice spread across England and became the new standard for the ruling class after 1066.
• Celtic Lands: Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Brittany maintained distinctive Gaelic and Brythonic naming traditions rooted in mythology and clan identity. Names like Cormac, Branwen, and Llewelyn carried deep cultural significance and connections to legendary heroes—similar patterns can be found in our best elven names guide.
• Norse Scandinavia: Viking-era names drew from Old Norse mythology and warrior culture. Names incorporating elements of gods (Thor-, Frey-), animals (Bjorn/bear, Ulf/wolf), and battle (Sig-/victory, Gunn-/war) reflected the martial values of Norse society.

Chivalry and the Culture of Knighthood

The rise of chivalric culture in the 12th and 13th centuries had a profound impact on medieval naming. The popularity of Arthurian romances—spread by writers like Chrétien de Troyes, Geoffrey of Monmouth, and later Sir Thomas Malory—introduced names like Gareth, Percival, Tristan, and Guinevere into common use. Many of these names also appear in pirate naming traditions from later centuries, as maritime culture adopted chivalric themes. Parents named their children after legendary knights and ladies, hoping to bestow upon them the virtues of courage, courtesy, and honor celebrated in romance literature. The Crusades further expanded the naming pool, as returning warriors brought back exotic names and naming customs from the Byzantine Empire and the Levant.

Women's Names and Medieval Society

Medieval women's names tell a story of limited options and remarkable individuals who transcended them. While the pool of common female names was relatively small—dominated by a handful of saints' names and royal favorites—the women who bore these names often led extraordinary lives. Matilda commanded armies, Hildegard wrote philosophical treatises and composed music, and Eleanor of Aquitaine shaped the politics of two kingdoms. Names like Aethelflaed (Lady of the Mercians) and Jacquetta (Duchess of Bedford) remind us that medieval women could wield significant power despite the patriarchal structures that constrained most of their contemporaries.

The Viking Age and Norse Influence

The Viking Age (793–1066 CE) left an indelible mark on European naming traditions. Norse settlers in England, Ireland, Normandy, and beyond brought names that mingled with local traditions and created new hybrid cultures. If you're building Norse-inspired characters, our dwarf and Norse name generator offers authentic options rooted in these same traditions. In the Danelaw regions of England, Old Norse names like Thorsten, Gudrun, and Harald coexisted with Anglo-Saxon ones for generations. Norse naming conventions were distinctive: patronymic surnames (Erikson, Sigurdsdottir) identified lineage, while bynames described physical traits (Bluetooth, Fairhair) or deeds (Ironside, Lothbrok). Many modern Scandinavian names trace directly to these Viking-era origins, preserving a thousand-year connection to the warriors, explorers, and settlers who reshaped medieval Europe.

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